HOUSTON (AP) — Max Scherzer is set to pitch another Game 7 in Houston with visiting teams undefeated in the series.
This time, Mad Max will be trying to win a pennant for the Texas Rangers.
Scherzer will start the deciding game of the AL Championship Series on Monday night. It comes four years after the three-time Cy Young Award winner started Game 7 of the World Series for Washington as the Nationals beat the Astros at Minute Maid Park in the only best-of-seven postseason series that went the distance without the home team winning a single game.
The Rangers, after losing all three of their ALCS games at home, forced Game 7 with a 9-2 win on Sunday night. Texas also won Games 1 and 2 in Houston.
Scherzer was the loser in Game 3 in Arlington on Wednesday night, when he returned after missing just more than a month with a right shoulder strain. The 39-year-old right-hander allowed five runs and five hits while throwing 63 pitches over four innings, but finished strong by striking out the last two batters he faced with a runner on base.
“He knows how to go out there and compete and pitch. I think he’s definitely going to be a lot better than his last outing,” said Game 6 winner Nathan Eovaldi. “He’s been ready to go and chomping at the bit. I know that last start didn’t sit so well, and the competitor that he is, he is going to go out and do a great job tomorrow.”
Cristian Javier, the Game 3 winner when the defending World Series champion Astros won 8-5, will pitch again for Houston.
The 26-year-old right-hander is 6-1 with a 2.08 ERA in 16 postseason games, winning all four of his starts. He has allowed only five hits and two runs over 22 innings in those four starts, including two runs and three hits over 5 2/3 innings earlier in this series.
“My thought process is to stay positive and go out and just compete,” Javier said, adding that Game 7 wouldn’t feel any different. “Not really. It’s just the same game. Same people. Just got to go out there and compete. Nothing different.”
These are the kind of big games the Rangers hoped for when they got Scherzer from the New York Mets in a trade-deadline deal this season. But they also feel they are in good shape to back him up.
“Well, we have a full bullpen because of the job that Nate did. So they’re all hands on deck,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “They’re all available. You look at matchups and things like that, but they’re all ready to go.”
Scherzer will be making his 24th postseason start for five different teams. His only Game 7 was in that 2019 World Series, when he allowed two runs over five innings without getting the decision in the Nationals’ 6-2 win. He won Game 1 in that Series, but got pushed back because of nerve irritation near his neck and pitched in the final game after getting a cortisone shot.
After Game 3 of this ALCS for the Rangers, Scherzer said his arm felt good, which was the most important thing. He said he felt he “had more in the tank,” but fully agreed with Bochy’s decision to pull him with Houston leading 5-0.
Scherzer’s postseason record is 7-8 with a 3.80 ERA, which also included appearances for Detroit, Washington, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets. The only other pitcher to start playoff games for five teams was David Wells for Cincinnati, Baltimore, the Yankees, Boston and San Diego from 1989-2006.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
